12 Calcium-Rich Foods for Seniors

(Easy Recipes Included!)

Calcium is found in both plant and animal sources. Dairy products, sardines, nuts, and leafy greens are a few examples of them.

A large portion of your bones and teeth are composed of calcium, which is also important for heart health, muscular function, and nerve transmission.

12 Calcium-Rich Foods

12 Calcium-Rich Foods for Seniors

Although some populations, such as teenagers, postmenopausal women, and older adults, need a higher quantity, it is advised that most adults take at least 1,000 mg of calcium each day Trusted Source.

There are numerous calcium sources that are free of dairy, even though dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are particularly high in calcium.

These 12 foods, many of which are non-dairy, are high in calcium.

1. Seeds

Numerous seeds, such as poppy, sesame, celery, and chia seeds, are rich in calcium and are little nutritional powerhouses. One tablespoon (9 grams) of poppy seeds, for example, contains 127 mg of calcium (Trusted Source), which is 13% of the Daily Value (DV) that is advised.

Additionally, seeds provide healthful lipids and protein. For instance, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in chia seeds (Trusted Source).

Sesame seeds, along with copper, iron, and manganese, provide 9% of the DV Trusted Source for calcium in just one tablespoon (9 grams).

2. Cheese

The majority of cheeses are great calcium suppliers. With 242 mg Trusted Source, or 24% of the DV, per ounce (28 grams), parmesan cheese has the most. Cheeses that are softer usually have less. An ounce (28 grams) of Brie, for example, only provides 52 mg Trusted Source, or 5% of the DV.

Additionally, calcium from dairy products is easier for your body to absorb than calcium from plants. Cheese provides protein as well. A cup of cottage cheese has 23 grams of protein (Trusted Source).

Additionally, persons with lactose sensitivity can more easily digest aged, hard cheeses because they are naturally low in lactose.

There might be other health advantages to dairy. For instance, a 2016 analysis of 31 studies raises the possibility that consuming more dairy products may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Regular milk and yogurt consumption was associated with a lower incidence of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, according to another analysis.

But remember that full-fat cheese can have a lot of calories and saturated fat. Additionally, some people may need to limit their intake of some cheeses due to their high salt content.

3. Yogurt

A great source of calcium is yogurt. Probiotics, a class of good bacteria that can strengthen the immune system, strengthen the heart, and improve nutrient absorption, are also abundant in many varieties of yogurt.

Thirty percent of Whole Milk Yogurt in a cup (245 grams) comprises Calcium from the DV Trusted Source, together with a healthy dosage of potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins B2 and B12. One cup (245 grams) of plain, low-fat yogurt has 31% of the DV Trusted Source of calcium, which may be even higher.

However, Greek yogurt has less calcium than regular yogurt, even though it's a wonderful method to obtain more protein in your diet.

Regular yogurt eating may also reduce the incidence of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to some research, in addition to offering a variety of nutrients.

4. Sardines and canned salmon

Because their bones are edible, canned salmon and sardines are rich in calcium. Three ounces (85 grams) of canned pink salmon with bones contain 18% of the DV Trusted Source, while a 3.75-ounce (92-gram) can of sardines contains 35%.

Omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein from these fatty fish can help maintain the health of your skin, heart, and brain.

Mercury levels are minimal in tiny fish, like sardines, but they can be found in seafood. Furthermore, selenium, a mineral that may prevent and reverse mercury damage, is abundant in both salmon and sardines.

5. Beans and lentils

Protein, fiber, and minerals including iron, zinc, folate, magnesium, and potassium are all abundant in beans and lentils.

Winged beans, which provide 244 mg Trusted Source, or 24% of the DV Trusted Source, in a single cooked cup (172 grams), are among the types that also contain respectable levels of calcium.

Another excellent source is white beans; 1 cup (179 grams) of cooked white beans accounts for 19% of the DV Trusted Source. Other types of beans and lentils have less, with each cup (175 grams) containing only about 4–5% of the DV.

It's interesting to note that many of the health advantages of plant-based diets are attributed to beans. Beans may actually help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and cut your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to study.

6. Almonds

Almonds have some of the highest calcium content of any nut. Approximately 23 nuts, or 1 ounce (28 grams), provide 8% of the DV Trusted Source.

In addition, almonds include protein, healthy fats, and 3.5 grams of fiber (Trusted Source) per ounce (28 grams). They are also a great source of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

Consuming nuts may also help reduce body fat, blood pressure, and several other metabolic disease risk factors.

7. Whey protein

Milk contains a protein called whey, which has been well researched for possible health advantages. Rich in quickly digested amino acids, it's also a great source of protein and aids in muscle building and repair.

Curiously, whey-rich diets have even been connected in some studies to better blood sugar control and greater weight loss.

Additionally, whey is incredibly high in calcium; a scoop of 1.2-ounce (33-gram) whey protein powder isolate has about 160 mg Trusted Source, or 12% of the DV Trusted Source.

»Lean more:10 Best Protein Powders of 2025, According to Dietitians and Testers

8. Leafy greens

Many leafy green vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and collard greens, are rich in calcium and are very beneficial.

One cup (190 grams) of cooked collard greens, for example, contains 268 milligrams of calcium (about 27 percent of your daily requirement).

Keep in mind that certain types, like spinach, contain a lot of oxalates, which are organic substances that bind to calcium and prevent it from being absorbed.

As a result, even though spinach is high in calcium, it is not as effectively absorbed as other calcium-rich greens like kale and collard greens that are low in oxalates.

9. Rhubarb

Calcium, vitamin K, fiber, and trace levels of other vitamins and minerals are all abundant in rhubarb. Additionally, it contains prebiotic fiber, a kind of fiber that might encourage the development of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

Much of the calcium in rhubarb is not absorbed because, like spinach, it contains a lot of oxalates. Actually, studies indicate that only around 5% of the calcium in rhubarb can be absorbed by the body.

With 105 mg of calcium per cup Trusted Source (122 grams) of raw rhubarb, or roughly 10.5% of the DV, rhubarb is still a source of calcium even if you're only absorbing a small amount.

10. Fortified foods

Cereals and other fortified foods can help you get the calcium you need each day.

Actually, before milk is added, some cereal varieties can provide up to 1,000 mg (100% of the DV) per serving Trusted Source. It's ideal to spread out your calcium intake throughout the day, though, as your body cannot absorb all of that at once.

It is also possible to fortify cornmeal and flour with calcium. This explains the high content in various breads, tortillas, and crackers.

11. Amaranth

A very nutrient-dense pseudo cereal is amaranth. Iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and other minerals are abundant in it, and it's a rich source of folate.

The calcium content of one cup (246 grams) of cooked amaranth grain is 116 mg, or 12% of the DV. In addition to a considerable amount of vitamins A and C, amaranth leaves include considerably more calcium (276 mg Trusted Source) and 28% of the DV per cooked cup (132 grams).

12. Edamame and tofu

Young soybeans known as edamame beans are frequently offered for sale still in their pods.

The calcium content of one cup (155 grams) of cooked edamame is 8% of the DV. It's a reliable source as well. All of your daily folate needs are met in one meal from this reliable source of protein.

Calcium-prepared tofu also has remarkably high levels of calcium (more than 86% of the DV for calcium in just half a cup, or 126 grams)Trusted Source.